Everton 0, MIddlesbrough 0.

IT was only last Friday when Gareth Southgate revealed Christmas had been cancelled as he plotted Middlesbrough's festive turnaround in fortunes.

Now, having claimed four points from an opening two games over the holiday period, Southgate can at least look to the New Year heartened by two encouraging results and performances.

The visit to Blackburn Rovers on December 30 could see things go awry again. For now, though, this draw at Everton and the weekend win over Charlton has at least got Middlesbrough heading in the right direction again.

It could, and probably would, have been different had referee Phil Dowd not waved away three decent penalty claims for Everton.

Instead Boro survived a tenth Premiership defeat of the season against an otherwise toothless Everton, who were thwarted by an outstanding Jonathan Woodgate and a well-marshalled visiting defence.

Saturday's success over Charlton has clearly heartened the Teessiders, who had previously gone six matches without a win.

And, although the point gained at Everton may not have ended their search for a first away victory of the season, the belief will be there that Boro can make it seven points from a possible nine when Sheffield United visit the Riverside on January 1.

Had all the players remained fit the likelihood is that Southgate would have kept the same starting line-up at Goodison Park, to that which got Charlton boss Les Reed the sack after his side lost feebly at the Riverside.

But he was bereft of James Morrison through injury and opted to alter the system. Morrison's withdrawal meant an unlikely recall for Gaizka Mendieta, despite the Spaniard being likely to depart in the January transfer window.

Mendieta, who has not started a game since September 23, has been told he can leave and was expected to show his professionalism by turning in a positive display. He worked away, but provided little threat down the right.

The signs were not great from the outset, with the energetic figure of another Spaniard, Mikel Arteta, causing problems down the flank occupied by the former Lazio man.

And Boro's first opening arrived down the opposite side. Julio Arca's clever slide rule pass allowed Stewart Downing to roll the ball across the area but Lee Cattermole failed to arrive in time.

Mendieta was one of two changes, the other Cattermole's recall to a five-man midfield.

That meant Viduka, linked to a move to West Ham yesterday, was named substitute with Aiyegbeni Yakubu operating as a lone striker.

Everton felt hard done by inside five minutes. Andrew Johnson was clearly pulled back by Andrew Taylor inside the penalty area and Dowd waved play on.

The referee did the same on two other occasions inside the Boro box before a further ten minutes had elapsed.

First Emanuel Pogatetz was adjudged not to have handled Victor Anichebe's flick and then Boro's Austrian was not ruled to have tripped the Everton striker. All three could quite easily have been given.

Everton had started by far the brighter but failed to trouble Mark Schwarzer's goal and it was Middlesbrough who looked the more dangerous when they worked their way upfield.

Cattermole was guilty of missing the target with a free header, after Downing and Taylor combined productively down Simon Davies' right wing.

From that moment on in the first half Everton took command in terms of share of possession. The problem they faced, however, was Middlesbrough's defence was in no mood to buckle.

Lee Carsley's long range volley, that deflected off Cattermole and dipped onto the top of the net, illustrated the poor quality of chances the home side had to settle for.

Johnson and Anichebe danced around a lot but Woodgate and Pogatetz managed to curb the threat from the centre, particularly with the nine corners Everton had before the interval.

There was one last effort before half-time for Everton, when Carsley and James McFadden exchanged passes and the former struck a right-foot drive over from 25 yards.

It must have been Southgate's intention to make it to half-time goalless because, after starting with a lone striker formation, he brought on Viduka after the restart for the ineffectual Mendieta.

Within seconds the Australian turned away to celebrate the opening goal, but was correctly deemed offside when he slid into meet Downing's skewed shot across the face of the goal.

The third of Everton's penalty appeals turned down was arguably the most clear. This time Arteta nicked the ball away from Woodgate, who brought down the Spaniard, and again the official let play continue.

Southgate also had every right to feel aggrieved by a couple of decisions. Yet he would have to be honest enough to admit that Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott were just as commanding at the heart of Everton's defence as Woodgate and Pogatetz were for Boro.

Lescott's presence turned defence into attack for the Toffees on more than one occasion and had Anichebe's naivety not wasted a glorious chance in front of goal Everton would have been in front.

That sparked a series of Everton attacks.

Anichebe was guilty of missing a couple before James Beattie replaced him alongside Johnson, at the same time as Stuart Parnaby took up Cattermole's second half position on the right.

Everton pressed until the end but found Woodgate et al in no mood to let a second successive clean sheet pass them by.